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Physical Therapy « »
Arg. OK, so I mentioned that I’m having this back pain. It was so bad on Tuesday that I could hardly walk. It was making me feel ill, it hurt so bad. I kept thinking it was a pulled muscle or pinched nerve and would go away, but it just kept getting worse. So I called the NP (Nurse Practitioner) who told me to come in “NOW.” She was worried that it was some kind of cramping or a kidney problem. We did several tests, and there’s no organ problem…it turns out that it’s SCIATICA.
.
(butt image courtesy wikipedia.com)
My friend Jayme worked in a hair salon when we all lived on Lawn-Guy-Land and she has the funniest impression of the clients, “Ooh, my sy-aht-ik-kuh.” You have to say it in a voice like Geroge Castanza’s mom and bend over at the waist with your hand on your left hip and make a face. So all I can hear is this Long Island accented older lady when I think or say the word. And I do stand bent over with my hand on my hip. It’s insane.
And it really hurts! I read in my pregnancy book about sciatica, but it typically (I’m learning there is no “typically” with pregnancies) happens later when the baby’s weight compresses the nerve, but here I am…month 3…big old back pain!
So Tuesday morning I meet Nicole at the “Southwest Sport & Spine Center” to start physical therapy. Jeez.
In the meantime, I’ve got a wedge-shaped butt pillow and one of those “body pillow” things to sleep with. Nate says I can throw out the pillow and just spoon him. But the pillow don’t snore! And he DO.
I also decided to go to yoga. The city offers before and after work exercise classes, including yoga and pilates…so I’m going to sign up. $1.50 / class! They told me that the instructor can tailor any of the moves so that I can do everything safely. The site doesn’t really give a great indication of all the classes or the schedule, so I have to go there to get more info. I don’t understand businesses not having functional websites. I searched “prenatal yoga, las cruces” and some references to classes showed up…but none of the organizations have websites! Tsk Tsk. I don’t have time to drive all around picking up literature. (Cranky back pain talking.)
I mean, even if I’m getting a haircut, I want to go online and check out all the services before I go in so I can have a price in mind.
Ok, I need to do something non-gripey.
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2007 at 4:44 pm and is filed under just chit chat. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
14 Responses to “Physical Therapy”
SO sorry to hear that! I have a really bad back, a buldging a few descingrating and one buldging in my S-region, so I feel you on that dolly! Be well and take care of yourself.
PS I watched your knitty gritty epidsode last night, you rock!!
You know, I had really bad sciatica for the first couple of months of my pregancy, and now I have no sign of it (knock on wood). It’s weird, you’d think it would affect you more when you had more weight on you, but I guess it doesn’t matter. Hope you feel better soon!
I don’t know how you feel about chiropractic, but my chiropractor has worked miracles dealing with sciatica. You might consider consulting a good chiropractor in your area.
Congrats! I didn’t know you were PG! I met you at Village Wools and bought your book–I’m working on the v-neck sweater. Anyway, I have LOTS of exp. w/sciatica and pregnancy–do the pillow between legs when sleeping and back floor exercises to strengthen. At the end of 3rd trimester I was on my grandmother’s cane! As soon as baby popped out it was a relief! I feel your pain. Take care and give baby Hugo a rub for me! Look forward to future baby posts! Now you’ll never knit again! Sorry.
I hope you get some relief. When I was pregnant I got tingly, HOT, stabby pain down my left arm. No painkillers helped, which I guess is normal for nerve pain but it took me a while to figure out what was going on. I was in such pain- I would cry cry cry. My poor husband with the pillows, icepacks, arm rubs!! Worst of all? No knitting. I went to the doctor, received massage, took painkillers. The only thing that helped was a chiroquackter– now I am a believer!! The relief was instantaneous. I had to go back a few times -apparently it recurred because of all that water I was retaining. But it wasn’t too expensive… Come on up to Denver and I’ll hook you up!
HI I am usually just a lurker, but I have been reading all of your “preggy posts” and getting a kick out of them. I am 5 months, or 20 weeks in “obgyn” talk, along right now. I gets better, but unfortunately, the sciatica doesnt. But hopefully you will enjoy it and all of the weird things that happen to you body.
Hope your sciatica pain doesn’t last long, Stephanie. I bet the Yoga will help. Saw you on Knitty Gritty on June 19th - really enjoyed seeing you on the show!
Hi Stephanie,
Even though I have 3 children i am not tired to read some pregnancy-talk 
the problem is: while pregnancy your cartilage becames mellow, because of the expecting birth. so the sacroiliac joint jumps out and so the sciartica(the nervs) are punished. My Osteopath puts the joint back and everything was fine. The only thing I have to be aware of was not to carry something heavy…remeber your excessive house-keeping…?
first: Congrats
I just want to say to you: this sciatica-aching don´t has to be. I had it while my 2.pregnancy and i went to my osteopath and he took my pain by meeting him 4 times. just putting some funny things with me
Ok, and Yoga is a real good way to encourage your back. And it will relax your hurt body
Nice Day, Eva
P.S.I found you through your book which I bought last month and I love it. Knitted the DSLTop.
Aww, I’m sorry! You’re right, “typical” is a relative term during pregnancy. The yoga should help, though!
here’s where i found my class (after about a month long search)
they dont advertise enough…
http://www.destinationmaternity.com/ViewClasses/Danbury_July_Classes.pdf
i dont know if you’re near any of their locations that might offer these classes.. BUT the instructor being a “prenatal” participator may be able to help also…
the prenatal class isolates the hips and pelvis which is what i think helps the sciatica….
good luck w/it… i FEEL your pain honestly… i really think the yoga will be soooo helpful!
col
Unfortunately, sciatica hit me hard in pregnancy and never really went away. Yoga does help! Will they let you take ibuprofen? That helped a little.
I just felt compelled to comment about your back pain. With both of my pregnancies early on I had back pain that radiated down my leg and caused a burning in my thigh. The ONLY thing that touched this (and took the pain AWAY) was accupressure from a naturopath. I tried physical therapy but it was the subtle manipulations that the Naturopath did that opened up the nerves/energy pathyways/whaterever it was that was causing all of my pain. This worked so well for me I just felt I had to share it so you could at least have it in the back of your mind if other stuff didn’t work. Good luck and feel free to email me if you’d like any more info.
Sincerely, Nicolle
I’m so sorry that you’re having such pain now. Between the physical therapy and yoga, I’m hoping you will feel much better and soon.
Thank you for sharing your art and your life with us!
I hope you feel better!
I had this two years ago with my first pregnancy and wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
Mine was caused by my having a super tilted uterus. It was gaining weight and pressing on nerves. Nothing helped, I just had to wait until it grew enough to straighten out a bit. Thank goodness it only took a few weeks!
I’m now 21 weeks into my second pregnancy, and no pain this time. I was so worried it would happen again…